Health care systems in Sweden and China: Legal and formal organisational aspects.

Björn Albin,Wen Chang Zhang,Katarina Hjelm

doi:10.1186/1478-4505-8-20

Björn Albin, Wen Chang Zhang + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-8-20

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundSharing knowledge and experience internationally can provide valuable information, and comparative research can make an important contribution to knowledge about health care and cost-effective use of resources. Descriptions of the organisation of health care in different countries can be found, but no studies have specifically compared the legal and formal organisational systems in Sweden and China.AimTo describe and compare health care in Sweden and China with regard to legislation, organisation, and finance.MethodsLiterature reviews were carried out in Sweden and China to identify literature published from 1985 to 2008 using the same keywords. References in recent studies were scrutinized, national legislation and regulations and government reports were searched, and textbooks were searched manually.ResultsThe health care systems in Sweden and China show dissimilarities in legislation, organisation, and finance. In Sweden there is one national law concerning health care while in China the law includes the "Hygienic Common Law" and the "Fundamental Health Law" which is under development. There is a tendency towards market-orientated solutions in both countries. Sweden has a well-developed primary health care system while the primary health care system in China is still under development and relies predominantly on hospital-based care concentrated in cities.ConclusionDespite dissimilarities in health care systems, Sweden and China have similar basic assumptions, i.e. to combine managerial-organisational efficiency with the humanitarian-egalitarian goals of health care, and both strive to provide better care for all.

Highlights

Globalisation and cooperation in health care research and development To improve health and health care worldwide, international cooperation should include aspects such as attitudes to patients and the organisation of health care services [1]
Comparative research can make an important contribution to knowledge concerning health care [4], not least in cost-effective use of resources
There are studies describing the organisation of health care in many countries such as Sweden and China, but our literature search indicated that no research has so far compared the legal and formal organisational systems in these two countries there are general worldwide statistics produced by e.g. WHO and OECD

Summary

Introduction

Globalisation and cooperation in health care research and development To improve health and health care worldwide, international cooperation should include aspects such as attitudes to patients and the organisation of health care services [1]. Swedish health care is part of the national welfare model, with its roots in the depression of the 1920s and 1930s, when visions of national welfare policies, comprehensive basic financial security, and the right of the entire population to social services on equal terms were conceived. These concepts were developed during an almost unbroken period of Social Democratic government up to the middle of the 1970s [6]. Sharing knowledge and experience internationally can provide valuable information, and comparative research can make an important contribution to knowledge about health care and cost-effective use of resources. Descriptions of the organisation of health care in different countries can be found, but no studies have compared the legal and formal organisational systems in Sweden and China

Objectives

Results

Conclusion